Tools for the Wishy-Washy Wargamer

Hi, my name is Joe and I'm a wishy-washy wargamer. I have a bunch of boxes in my closet filled with grey plastic sprues. A graveyard where weird army ideas go to die. I will dream up an idea for a really cool hobby project, only to have a new vision only a couple weeks later. Early on, this prevented me from building any large collections of one specific force. When allies came around, this got a bit easier. But, it also became more expensive. So here I am, treading water in a sea of grey plastic. 

Our hobby is an interesting mix of creativity and impulse purchasing. Hell, Games Workshop's business model is based on our desire for shiny new toys on a weekly basis! Unless you have carls upon carls to spend on models, how do you manage this? How do you show self control in a swirling sea of pewter and plastic? Luckily, we have some help. Here are a couple resources I've used in the past that have helped me seize control of my hobby.

Independent Characters Hobby Progress Challenge

The mother of them all. The knight in shinning armor in the battle against grey plastic. Committing to this challenge is a great way to keep your focus on one specific project. Let all the internet know that you are going to paint a squad or model over thirty days. Accountability and support are so important when working on a large project. The forum members at the ICs are there to offer both, in spades. Submissions for February are due on the 15th, so make sure to get your commitment in soon!

1HourANight Facebook Group

A take on the #rudgietime/#tuttletime method. Spend one hour a night focused on the hobby. That can be modeling, sculpting, painting, etc. Post your pictures and get great feedback from an active community. Feedback can be a difficult thing to receive, but every gamer knows where you are coming from. Once you get rid of that fear, you will see that you can really produce some beautiful minis in a short amount of time. I also advocate the hour a night method as an almost meditative activity. Allowing yourself to be fully consumed by the hobby you love should leave you feeling relaxed and confident in your abilities. 

Blogs, Gaming Groups, Friends and Significant Others

If either of those options make you feel uncomfortable, then I'd suggest reaching out to your friends and family. Tell people what you are working on, and talk about it! My wife is a huge help when it comes to this. I'll tell her about one of my projects, and she'll ask me what I'm doing or how it's coming along. If your friends know you are working on a neuron army but see you painting something else, they'll ask how your death robots are coming along. Pallet cleansers A little motivation goes a long way. The blog has also been a big help here.

I had written in a previous post that I was going to do my Raven Guard on 32mm bases. Being the impatient guy I am, I immediately based them on their snug 25mm rounds. Once I finally received my 32s in the mail, I was stuck on what to do. Should I rebase the marines, or just leave them as is. Remembering my written commitment to 32mm bases really helped here. Like runes etched in stone, I was bound to upgrade. So I went from this...

To this!

And you know what? I was happy! Probably why I originally made up my mind on the larger bases. Commitments in your wargaming hobby are important. Don't overburden yourself, but make sure to set high goals. And, most importantly, be proud of your work! 

Until next time!